Prison Break(down)
by rightafterscribe
Summary: May didn't care if seemed cruel everyone thought she was cold anyway and after this Daisy probably would too. But May can't bring herself to care.


Disclaimer: I don't own them. I never will, and I'll never make any cash from writing this.

This has been in my head all day, and I wanted to get it up before tomorrow night. I promise it's not as harsh as it appears.

Not beta'd, written quickly, but please enjoy.

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In the end, Fitz came through. Phil was able to detonate a device Fitz created that would stun and knockout anyone possessed by Lucy and the other ghosts until we could administer a (less heart stopping) antidote. Once Daisy locked herself in the cafeteria Phil ran back to the van to grab something we could bust open the doors with and Ftiz's device. Once Phil returned and pressed the button the result was immediate.

The mob of Watchdogs that hadn't been knocked out by Daisy's shockwaves all collapsed at once. I watch in relief as the large violent Watchdog who strangling Daisy goes slack and drops on top of her. She pushes him off and stands up on shaky legs before dropping into one of the nearby cafeteria chairs, rubbing her throat and trying to catch her breath.

Once the danger is over Phil and I move to cut open the doors. We use what is basically a laser chainsaw to break the hinges and enter the room.

Daisy glances up at us with a look of defiance almost as if to say _I told you to leave I didn't need you!_

Phil looks on silently as we approach her, he looks like he wants to run and check on her but I hold him back with my arm and a look.

He looks confused but follows my silent plea.

I see the angry and defeated look on Daisy's face. She probably thinks I'm going to congratulate her or give her the brush off. She probably thinks I'm going to let her go now that our mission is complete.

She's wrong.

I pull her up by her less injured arm, mentally wincing as she gasps in pain. I don't have time for her shock. I grab her wrist and not gently, I know she's still injured so she won't have the strength to fight back. I slap inhibitors on her wrists followed by Shield issued zip ties.

"Daisy Johnson," I say in a crisp and authoritative voice that doesn't betray my true emotions.

"You're under arrest for violating the Sokovia Accords, aiding in the escape of an asset and kidnapping a senior ranking member of Shield."

She shoots me a confused and no less pissed off look.

"Melinda!?" I hear Phil say behind me.

I ignore him, I'm not going to let him sway my decision, and I'm not going to let him ask too many questions now.

"What the hell are you doing? I thought you were on my side?" Daisy gasps out, her voice rough and her breath ragged from her bruised throat.

I don't answer as I grab her upper right arm and all but drag her out of the prison with me.

"Sorry Daisy, but I'm a Shield agent and it's my obligation to bring you in," I say with zero emotion.

"Obligation? Where was this obligation yesterday when I agreed to work with Shield on this mission? Was this whole thing a setup?" She's pissed and she's struggling to to get out of the ties, but she'll fail with her powers inhibited and her body weakened.

"The director told us it was up to us how to handle the situation based on your actions here and you went against direct orders and went rogue. We can't have that kind of discourse on missions and thus your previous actions have been called back into question and I can't let you leave," I say coldly.

Both Phil and Daisy gape at me and Daisy adopts a cold and blank stare as we make our way to the van. Phil following silently behind. For the first time in a long time, we don't have to clean up the mess we've left behind and we leave it for some strike team to bring in the unconscious Watchdogs. Phil and I have other things to worry about.

We make it back to the van where Phil climbs in the driver's seat while I load Daisy and myself into the back.

Phil looks at me in the rearview mirror but he nods and turns the van on and we begin the drive to the base. The only sound is Daisy's ragged and angry breathing. She'll still need to go to medical, I'm worried about her windpipe. After Simmons checks her over Daisy is headed for Vault D. I shudder that the reminder of the last time she was in there, I can't let her harm herself for the sake of anyone else again.

While we drive I text Jemma information to alert the director that we are returning and to alert her that Daisy will need medical attention.

We pull into the base and I haul Daisy out of the van and towards the blast doors. They open to reveal Jemma and Director Mace. Jemma looks worried and not shockingly, Mace looks smug.

Phil follows quietly behind us, I know he's still shocked and confused at the turn of events.

We stop in front of the director, Daisy huffs and stares at him defiantly.

"Agent Johnson you're now under the charge and command of Shield. However, we aren't cruel and Dr. Simmons is going to make sure you're okay before we settle you into a cell" He says in that even tone with that obnoxious half smirk.

It goes without saying I'm not his biggest fan, but right now I need him.

Daisy sighs, she doesn't respond and remains stoic all while shooting daggers at Mace. Simmons turns and begins to walk towards the med bays. I pull Daisy along with me while Phil and Mace follow behind us.

When we get to medical, I release Daisy's arms from behind her, she's angry and a bit dazed so before she has time to react I replace the zip ties so her arms are in front of her and pass her off to Simmons. She won't hurt Jemma, she won't try and fight off the techs if Jemma is present, but it doesn't mean I want to let her arms loose. I hate if I'm causing her any more pain, but right now I have to do what I've have to do.

Once Simmons settles Daisy in the med bay I step out to the hallway where Mace and Phil are waiting.

Phil turns to me first "I know you're as pissed and as hurt as I am, but really arresting her?" He asks, quite fury pulses through him.

I get it, I do, but...

"Phil..." I start to explain but Mace interrupts me.

"Agent May, as you asked I'll issue a 'Sentinel Protocol' for Agent Johnson and we'll set her up in vault D," Mace says

"Sentinel protocol?...You think Daisy is suicidal?" Phil asks looking at me with wide horrified eyes.

"I'll leave you two to discuss this for a moment," Mace says as he walks away to give us privacy.

"I don't think she's suicidal Phil, I know she is," I say quietly meeting his eyes. I saw her give up the fight when that Watchdog was trying to kill her.

"You didn't arrest her to punish her, you arrested her to save her from herself."

"She's reckless and endangering herself out there, this was the only way I could think of to keep her safe, even if she'll hate me for it."

I swallow, she really may never speak to me again after this, but as long as she's alive to hate me I'll be okay.

"I don't think she'll hate you forever Melinda, once she's had time to heal physically and mentally she might even thank you," Phil says with a hand on my shoulder.

That's all it takes for me to come undone and I crumple into his arms unable to stop the tears from running down my cheeks.

"It's gong to be okay Melinda, she's home now, we'll figure this out."

Watching her slam the door in Phil and my face, watching her recklessly and selfishly take on a group of Watchdogs on her own and all but give up when one jumped on top of her trying to strangle her to death is an image I won't soon forget.

I knew Daisy was depressed and I knew it was more than Hive and losing Lincoln that made Daisy run. I knew it was everything from her life finally catching up with her, but I had hoped that Daisy didn't want to die. But after coming face to face with her after Phil picked her, and after watching her give up under the weight of the Watchdog I was able to see with stunning clarity that Daisy wanted her life to end.

Right now she doesn't care enough about herself or her life for me to let her escape back to her rouge vigilante ways. Right now she thinks she's doing everything to 'protect us' and she thinks she's doing this because she 'cares' but the truth is right now she doesn't actually care about us enough to not get herself killed. She's too far hurt and too far down to realize that none of us will be okay if she was to die. I didn't want to arrest her, I didn't want to subject her to a cell but here I can watch her. Here I can prevent her from getting herself killed for the greater good. Here under supervision, she can maybe begin to heal her physical injuries and start to heal her mental wounds.

It's going to take a lot of time, and she's going to resist, and she's going to be angry but right now I can't begin to care about what she wants in this moment. I just need to make sure she has more and more moments to come and arresting her was the only way I could think to do it.


End file.
